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Negus may be in TEN’s firing line

George Negus could be one of the casualties of TEN's strategic review, but not Sandra Sully.

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Staff at TEN are expecting to begin receiving voluntary redundancy notices as early as this morning.

Up to 100 jobs are likely to be cut across the network and outdoor advertising group, Eye Corp. It is tipped to include 15 fulltime journalists and 85 other staff across production, sales, operations and programming.

Programmes in the firing line could include Late News and Sports Tonight, 6:30 with George Negus, TEN Evening News at 6pm on weekends and Sports Tonight on digital channel, ONE.

The Australian reports that George Negus has been scathingly criticised by board members as “too earnest” and even “boring.” If he is cut loose at the end of the year when his contract expires he could be replaced by Hamish MacDonald or even Hugh Riminton, should the programme itself be retained.

Sandra Sully is expected to be retained despite the possibility of TEN dumping TEN Late News.

Last week 6.30 With George Negus averaged 475,000 viewers in its early evening outing, down slightly from 482,000 the week before.

TEN’s new CEO James Warburton begins at the network on January 1st.

36 Responses

  1. You can’t claim news isn’t quality because you find it boring.

    You get way better coverage on 6.30 than on any of the other FTA networks. It’d be a real shame if the show went off the air. Is it as good as it could be, no. It is still a much better step in the right direction.

    @Qubec, if we are involved in wars we should report that, instead of the latest bra/diet/meat related story that you normaly get in that timeslot on the other channels.

  2. It’s not a maybe, but a definite, as George’s 12 month contract isn’t going to be renewed when it expires. He’s better off going back to SBS and hosting Dateline again, as he did a good job with that.

  3. I like the alternative of Negus at 6.30 as opposed to the endless repeated tripe that ACA and TT produces. But I do feel 6.30 needs to get some slightly lighter topics to mix in with the heavy. Sometimes it gets too serious. Also (and sorry to do a backflip and sound hypocritical here), we all bag out ACA and TT for doing electrical bills and supermarket stories over and over and over and over again but Negus is just as guilty with his many reports on the wars and on soldiers. I’m rather nuetral when it comes to the war but I find it rather annoying that he does a story on it every few days.

  5. Unfortunately the majority of people prefer stories on supermarket prices, welfare cheats, burka’s, electricity bills and wacky weight loss programs over boring Negus.

    I prefer boring Negus but confess I do stay on 7 sometimes after the news

  6. I like 6.30, and George Negus, but he can be a bit dull so the show may be better off with Hugh Riminton or Hamish McDonald. I know i’d prefer looking at Hamish each night. But the show is quality and definitely a better option than the other crap on 7 & 9

  7. If Ten late news goes that will make things interesting. Would they boot Deborah Knight out just because there would be nothing else for Sully to host?

  8. Wow some harsh critics of the 6.30 show. Negus is an oddity to be sure, a throwback from another era, but as others have pointed out, he was a refreshing addition to 7pm project as is Jennifer Byrne or Tracey Curro. The content of the 6.30 show is head and shoulders above the opposition, and the journos are working better and harder on it to offer something other than endless repeat cycles of supermarket comparisons and dodgy dole bludgers. Hamish and Hugh do have a bit more cache than old George, but it would seem a shame after all the blurb about 10 allowing time for this news revolution to kick in, but as usual they jig, rejig and now look like canning a promising alternative. ANother day, another rejig.

  10. Come on stop claiming Negus = quality. The man is a bore and his show is a boring 80s rehash. There’s nothing in depth about it, it’s boring journalism created by an out of touch overpaid over indulged bore. Taking off the repeats would do nothing to increase the earlier audience who I suspect is either asleep or off cooking their dinner.

  11. I’m all for Negus going. He’s a terrible anchor newsreader host presenter whatever he is. I’d prefer Hugh or Hamish. And they fit mug better with Tens brand

  13. It has been said countless times on here but I’ll say it again, why are Ten still showing the Negus repeats? Why not dump that? By continuing these encores since January, it has affected the ratings the show gets 6:30pm as some people may choose to watch TT or ACA knowing Negus will be on ‘later’. Plus, it is affecting Ten’s Late News’ figures. Get rid of Negus repeats, Ten! … and figures for both 6:30pm and the late news will improve.

  16. Crazy Crazy Crazy. Why get rid of quality programs. The Late News is quite good, but since it has been pushed back behind the Negus encore hasn’t done it very good. They should scrap the encore and return the Late News to its normal 10:30pm slot. the first late news bulletin in Australia should remain. 6.30 is quite good also.

  18. Its a good show and a great alternative to the other rubbish in this timeslot, but I have to agree with the board members with regard to Negus. I say give Riminton a go.

  19. “6.30 with Sandra Scully” …

    Hope not – I think she’s one of the worst newsreaders on Oz TV.

    Even NBN Newcastle’s Ray Dineen was better than the Skull.

  21. Nothing is worth watching on Channel Ten anyway and the Ratings agree. George Negus is “boring” and a “has-been” whose time is clearly up. His show has Not come close to having One Million Viewers and cannot compete with Today Tonight and ACA. The Pubic have clearly voted with their remote.

  22. George was my favourite guest on 7PM Project but I haven’t watched a single full episode of his own show. Wish he’d stayed on 7PM where his experience and opinion were needed.

  24. I may have this worng, but isnt Negus the only thing that has come close to wokring out for TEN. Ok ELEVEN is doing ok, and Neighbours is doing excellent on it, but that does not solve TENs over all problems.

  25. I haven’t taken to George Negus either, but unfortunately I don’t find Hamish MacDonald much better.

    Great to hear Sandra Sully won’t be disappearing from our screens – although if they let her go, I suspect she would probably be snapped up by another network anyway.

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